Former Hill Air Force Base Contractor Indicted on Felony Charges

HILL AIR FORCE BASE -- A former civilian contractor who worked at Hill Air Force Base has been indicted by the U.S. Attorney's Office, accused of illegally shipping F-16 parts to Indonesia.

Scott A. Williams, 51, of Huntsville, was charged last week with two counts of unlawful exportation of goods from the United States, making a false statement in a document, and conversion of property of the United States. The four charges are all felonies.

According to Melodie Rydalch, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Utah, Williams worked at Hill as a contractor with the Foreign Military Sales Program, specializing in F-16 parts.

Williams, who has since been terminated, allegedly sent two F-16 Aircraft brake assemblies to Indonesia, despite knowing it was against federal law to do so, according to a press release from the attorney's office. Williams is also accused of making a false statement in a document in order to authorize the shipment, illegally exporting Air Force technical orders for the F-16 and illegally converting and sharing other F-16 technical data.

Dave Bolton, a special agent working in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Hill, said multiple agencies -- including the Department of Homeland Security, IRS Criminal Investigation, the Air Force Audit Agency, the Defense Contract Audit Agency and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service -- participated in the investigation.

"(The Air Force) takes allegations involving the illegal technical transfer of Department of Defense aircraft technologies very seriously," Bolton said in the press release. "Prevention, detection, (and) prosecution of such transfers are essential to ensuring our ability to maintain air supremacy against our adversaries."

Williams was arrested on the charges on Feb. 19 and was arraigned Feb. 23 in federal court in U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin Pead's courtroom.

Rydalch said Williams entered a plea of not guilty to all four felony charges and is set to go to trial on May 2. The case will be heard by U.S. District Court Judge Jill Parrish.

After his arrest, Williams was released by Pead on a condition that he avoid contact with alleged victims, potential witnesses and co-defendants in the case. Williams was also required to undergo a mental health evaluation and complete any subsequent treatment recommendations.

Rydalch said the maximum penalty for each count of unlawful exportation of goods is 10 years in prison, as is the charge of converting government. The charges related to making a false statement in a document carry a maximum penalty of five years.

Attempts to reach the Air Force's OSI Public Affairs office were unsuccessful.